The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Monday, November 12, 2007

November 10-12, 2007

Top News of the Day
Xinjiang

Uygurs Sentenced to Death over Terrorism
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=bc2fd5df80f26110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD
Six Uyghurs arrested during a raid at a training camp in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on January 5, 2007 were sentenced by a Kashgar court on November 10, 2007. Three received death sentences, two death with a two-year suspension and one life imprisonment under charges of separatism, organizing and leading a terrorist organization and manufacturing explosives. The government mouthpiece Xinhua reported that they set up a terrorist organization known as the East Turkestan Islamic Party and believe that the group has links to al-Qaeda and overseas terrorist groups. Critics believe that these are excuses to crack down on the pro-independence movement among Uyghurs.

News
Education
China to Exempt All Urban Students from Compulsory Education Fees
Xinhuanet, November 10, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/10/content_7044298.htm

Environment
China Sets up Fund Aimed at Reducing Greenhouse Gases
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), November 09, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071109/sc_afp/chinaenvironmentclimatewarmingfund_071109150747

Government
陕西一民政干部跨县抛弃乞丐致其死亡被起诉 (Shaanxi Civil Affairs Cardre Prosecuted for Negligence over Death of Beggar)
Xinhuanet, November 11, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2007-11/11/content_7048754.htm

Human Rights Defenders - Hu Jia (胡佳)
国保试图阻拦胡佳看望住院的妻子 (State Security Guards Bar Hu Jia from Visiting His Hospitalized Wife)
Radio Free Asia, November 10, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2007/11/10/xinwen/

June 4th
成都六四受难者母亲唐德英遭到警方监控 (Chengdu Police Put Mother of a June 4th Victim Under Surveillance)
Radio Free Asia, November 10, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2007/11/10/xinwen/

六四伤残者齐志勇被再次非法限制出境 (June 4th Victim Qi Zhiyong Prohibited from Leaving China)
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/11/09/xinwen/

Labor
China's Toy Firms Under Scrutiny
BBC World Service, November 11, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7086958.stm

ACFTU: Huawei Agrees to Suspend Controversial Employment Scheme After Union Talks
Xinhuanet, November 10, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/10/content_7047070.htm

China Coal Mine Death Toll Rises to 35
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), November 10, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071111/wl_asia_afp/chinaminingaccident_071111044705

Law
成都检方联合九部门建救助机制 救助刑事受害人 (Chengdu Launches Assistance Scheme for Victims of Criminal Cases)
Legal Daily, November 12, 2007
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2007-11/12/content_737179.htm

Media
Crackdown on Bogus Reporters
Xinhuanet, November 12, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/12/content_7055146.htm

Officials Shut down HK-linked Newspaper
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4b91d5df80f26110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Military
China's PLA Prevents Illegal Recruitment And Ineligible Recruits
Xinhuanet, November 12, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/11/content_7051983.htm

Olympics
Report: China Issues Broad Olympic Ban
Associated Press (via YahooNews), November 09, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071109/ap_on_re_as/china_olympic_ban_1

Protests and Petitions
城管公安打死小贩 上万人围困镇政府 (10,000 Villagers Surround Government Building over Death of a Hawker)
Radio Free Asia, November 11, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2007/11/11/xinwen/

重庆上百集体所有制职工要求退休福利 (Over 100 Chongqing Retired Workers Sign Open Letter Urging Better Benefits)
Radio Free Asia, November 10, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2007/11/10/xinwen/

广东潮州四千多村民阻工维护土地权益 (4,000 Chaozhou Villagers Block Electric Cable Construction Site over Disputed Compensation)
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/11/09/china_rights_land/

温江失地农民和防暴警察发生流血冲突 (Chengdu Farmers Clash with Police over Land Grab)
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/11/09/china_land_clash/

湖北英山垃圾场污染引起群体性事件 (Hubei Garbage Dump Pollution Sets off Mass Incident)
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/11/09/hubei/

湖南6名访民被以“聚众扰乱社会治安”罪名拘押 (Six Hunan Petitioners Detained for "Gathering a Crowd to Disturb Social Order")
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/11/09/fangmin/

上海两名访民控诉当局非法拘禁 (Two Shanghai Petitioners Detained Illegally)
Radio Free Asia, November 09, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/11/09/china_petition_shanghai/

Related information:
Detained Petitioners Finally Released After Close of Party Congress, Special Olympics
Human Rights in China Press Release, November 08, 2007
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/45493

Public Health
截至9月30日全国参加新型农村合作医疗人口7.26亿 (726 Million Residents Covered Under New Rural Health Insurance Scheme)
Xinhuanet, November 12, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2007-11/12/content_7055266.htm

截至9月底开展新型农村合作医疗的县市区达2448个 (2448 Counties, Cities and Districts Implemented New Rural Cooperation on Health Insurance)
Xinhuanet, November 12, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2007-11/12/content_7055226.htm

9套医改方案仍悬而未决 政府主导趋势已经明朗化 (Healthcare Reform to Become Government-Led)
Legal Daily, November 12, 2007
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2007-11/12/content_737823.htm

Aids Threat Spreading: Official
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4aa1d5df80f26110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Tainted-toy Factory Still Making Other Products
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=a81fd5df80f26110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

State Security
Crush Leads to New Rules
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=b95fd5df80f26110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD